Namerigawa, Kanagawa
Encyclopedia
The is a river that goes from the Asaina Pass in northern Kamakura, Kanagawa
to the beach in Yuigahama
, for a total length of about 8 km. Although Yuigahama is in fact the name of the entire 3.2 km beach that goes from Inamuragasaki
to Zaimokuza
's Iijima cape, the name is usually used just for its half west of the Namerigawa river's estuary
, while the eastern half is called . The name comes from the way it flows, kind of "licking" ("nameru" in Japanese) the stones at its bottom.
Only during the summer, during the bathing season, the river's estuary is crossed by a wooden bridge (in the photo).
Although very short, the river is called by locals with six different names according to the neighborhood it crosses. From the Asaina Pass to Jōmyō-ji
it's about a meter wide and is called . After the temple's gate it takes the name Namerigawa, becomes wider and follows the course of the Kanazawa Road. Near the Omidōbashi Bridge it changes name again becoming the in honor of Buddhist monk Mongaku, who used to live nearby. From Tōshōjibashi to Komachi it's called . In the last few hundred meters of his course, from Ichi no Torii (Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū's first torii
gate) to the sea it assumes two names, first and finally . The name Namerigawa however is today the only one truly necessary
The stele on the bridge in Komachi, next to Honkaku-ji's gate, says.
The Taiheiki
mentions the Namerigawa in a story well known to all in Kamakura. The stele on the spot near Tōshō-ji
where events are supposed to have taken place describes the story as follows:
character after becoming the subject of a popular series of story books published in 1812. The series later became the basis for several Kabuki plays.
For example, the Kabuki play "Shiranami Gonon Otoko", also known as "Benten Kozō
", mentions both Aoto Fujitsuna and the Namerigawa.
In the play, a criminal called Daemon sees head of police Aoto Fujitsuna on the Dōbashi bridge on the Namerigawa. Aoto, who is known as a man of virtue, explains that his men found an incense case while searching the Namerigawa for lost goods, and intends to return it to its rightful owners.
Kamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...
to the beach in Yuigahama
Yuigahama
is a beach near Kamakura, a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The relation between the beach and its neighboring areas is complex. Although Yuigahama is in fact the entire 3.2 km beach that goes from Inamuragasaki, which separates it from Shichirigahama, to Zaimokuza's Iijima cape, which...
, for a total length of about 8 km. Although Yuigahama is in fact the name of the entire 3.2 km beach that goes from Inamuragasaki
Inamuragasaki
is a cape at the western end of Yuigahama in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The cape divides Yuigahama from Shichirigahama and Enoshima. Its name seems to stem from its shape, similar to a stack of rice at harvest time...
to Zaimokuza
Zaimokuza
is an area within the Kamakura, Kanagawa Pref., in Japan that runs along the sea from Cape Iijima near Kotsubo harbor to the estuary of the Namerigawa. The relation between the beach's name and that of its neighboring areas is complex...
's Iijima cape, the name is usually used just for its half west of the Namerigawa river's estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
, while the eastern half is called . The name comes from the way it flows, kind of "licking" ("nameru" in Japanese) the stones at its bottom.
Only during the summer, during the bathing season, the river's estuary is crossed by a wooden bridge (in the photo).
Although very short, the river is called by locals with six different names according to the neighborhood it crosses. From the Asaina Pass to Jōmyō-ji
Jōmyō-ji (Kamakura)
is a Zen Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect, Kenchō-ji school, in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Jōmyō-ji is Number Five of the five temples known as Kamakura Gozan , and the only one of the five not founded by a member of the Hōjō clan...
it's about a meter wide and is called . After the temple's gate it takes the name Namerigawa, becomes wider and follows the course of the Kanazawa Road. Near the Omidōbashi Bridge it changes name again becoming the in honor of Buddhist monk Mongaku, who used to live nearby. From Tōshōjibashi to Komachi it's called . In the last few hundred meters of his course, from Ichi no Torii (Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū's first torii
Torii
A is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred...
gate) to the sea it assumes two names, first and finally . The name Namerigawa however is today the only one truly necessary
The stele on the bridge in Komachi, next to Honkaku-ji's gate, says.
This is one of . It is said that once here stood the . This river is now called Namerigawa, but it used to have several names that changed according to the place. In its upper course it used to be called Kurumigawa, near Jomyo-ji's gate it was called Namerigawa, near the remains of Mongaku's residence it was called Zazengawa, here it was called Ebisudōgawa, near Enmyō-ji it was called Sumiurigawa and near the remains of the Enmadō it was called Enmadōgawa.
Erected in March 1932 by the Kamakurachō Seinendan
Aoto Fujitsuna's coins
Taiheiki
The is a Japanese historical epic , written in the late 14th century. It deals primarily with the Nanboku-chō, the period of war between the Northern Court of Ashikaga Takauji in Kyoto, and the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in Yoshino....
mentions the Namerigawa in a story well known to all in Kamakura. The stele on the spot near Tōshō-ji
Tosho-ji
was the Hōjō clan's family temple in Kamakura during the Kamakura period. Its founder was Taikō Gyōyū and it was constructed in 1237 by Hōjō Yasutoki in memory of his mother, who had her tomb there. According to the Taiheiki, from its foundation until the end of the Kamakura shogunate every regent...
where events are supposed to have taken place describes the story as follows:
According to the Taiheiki, Aoto Fujitsuna was judge in Kamakura at the time of RegentShikkenThe was the regent for the shogun in the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. The post was monopolized by the Hōjō clan, and this system only existed once in Japanese history, between 1203 and 1333...
s Hōjō TokimuneHojo Tokimuneof the Hōjō clan was the eighth shikken of the Kamakura shogunate , known for leading the Japanese forces against the invasion of the Mongols and for spreading Zen Buddhism and by extension Bushido among the warrior class.- Life :Born as the eldest son of the regent and Tokuso Tokiyori of the...
and Hōjō SadatokiHojo Sadatokiwas the ninth shikken of the Kamakura shogunate , and Tokuso from his appointment as regent until his death....
. One evening, having lost 10 in the Namerigawa, he bought a torch for fifty mon, entered in the water and started looking for the lost coins, finally finding them. Heard the story, people made fun of him saying that he ended up spending far more than he had lost. Fujitsuna replied that ten mon were not many, but losing them forever would have been a great loss. He had personally lost fifty mon, but he had done that for the benefit of all.
Erected in March 1938 by the Kamakurachō Shōnendan
The Namerigawa in Kabuki
Judge Aoto Fujitsuna, together with the Namerigawa, became well-known as a KabukiKabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
character after becoming the subject of a popular series of story books published in 1812. The series later became the basis for several Kabuki plays.
For example, the Kabuki play "Shiranami Gonon Otoko", also known as "Benten Kozō
Benten Kozo
', as the original and fullest version of this play is known, is a tale in five acts of the shiranamimono sub-category of the kizewamono genre of kabuki plays. Written by Kawatake Mokuami, it first premiered at the Ichimura-za in Edo in March 1862.The play is frequently known by a number of other...
", mentions both Aoto Fujitsuna and the Namerigawa.
In the play, a criminal called Daemon sees head of police Aoto Fujitsuna on the Dōbashi bridge on the Namerigawa. Aoto, who is known as a man of virtue, explains that his men found an incense case while searching the Namerigawa for lost goods, and intends to return it to its rightful owners.